Barzul
by FBSnightstalker
Summary: My first fanfic so any reviews please.. An old elf is brought into a new world and recounts stories of his past.
1. Chapter 1

"Barzũl" spat Nimtolien (Nim-tol-ee-en) throwing the bow to the floor. "I cannot do this!" all afternoon he'd be trying to hit the target at the end of the field, he'd followed all the instructions his teacher had given and still got no closer to hitting the target. Now he had finally lost his patience with the exercise. "What's the point of doing this anyway? I can just kill with magic instead of learning this" Voronwë (Vore-on-way) sighed and bending over picked the bow up off the ground "Indeed you could but the bow teaches patience and control. It is much less energy consuming to kill with an arrow than with magic. Many battles have been won by archers" Nimtolien shrugged and walked off of the training fields "And many have been won by magicians. Anyway it's not like there are any battles any more anyway, Galbatorix is dead and the Urgals are our allies. All we do is practice for the day when we may have to break up a dispute between some farmers"

Voronwë sighed it was a common problem among the students on the island. While the prospect of being a rider under the command of the great Eragon was enough to spur them through their training many saw the lack of any potent enemy as a huge problem. Nimtolien was one of the students who expressed this the most. He'd been born in Du Weldenvarden but as soon as he was old enough to travel unaccompanied he'd left the safety of the forest. He'd lived among the dwarves for awhile but soon grown restless and taken to wandering the land again. On his travels he'd learnt to master his control of magic and had been instructed in swordsmanship. When Galbatorix had overthrown the riders Nimtolien had been only thirty years of age. He'd kept himself to the outskirts of the Beor Mountains and the Du Weldenvarden forest avoiding all the major skirmishes and eventually when Galbatorix and the forsworn remained victorious he had hidden himself in Ceunon. A town far away from Galbatorix and the Forsworn.

Nimtolien was an exception to the rule. The island they were on was where Eragon had started his school for dragon riders. Everyone here was either a teacher or a youthful dragon rider eager to earn his place in the world. Nimtolien was neither. He had no dragon and did not teach classes to the riders. Instead he trained with the riders and occasionally would provide them with an informal history lesson in the form of a story. He had been brought to the island by an eccentric herbalist and her Werecat companion. She'd told him he would be of use and finally have a home, something Nimtolien had often longed for as he spent nights under the stars. However now he'd been here for a number of years he found himself getting restless again. The young ones grew more and more on his nerves and the patronising of the teachers some half his age was particularly irksome. He was not some old hermit that didn't know how to swing a sword. He'd wrestled with Urgals and survived more battles than many of the inhabitants had heard of. Sighing and shaking his head he opened the door of his room and flung his cloak on the footstool at the end of the bed.

As he walked out of his room he sighed and walked in the direction of the dining hall. "Good morning Nim" came a shout from behind him turning on his heel Nimtolien smiled "Good morning young Boriden, how are you this morning?" Boriden was a young dwarf one of the first to be chosen as a rider he had found it hard adjusting to life on the island and Nimtolien had kind of taken him under his wing " Not too bad cheers Nim, me and Celestine flew yesterday it was amazing!" he ran to catch up with Nimtolien "but we're still the slowest in our class" Nimtolien nodded thoughfully

"I wouldn't worry about that little fella Celestine just needs some time to grow" Boriden nodded

"will you tell us a story this morning Nim?" Boriden looked up expectantly. Nimtolien chuckled "yes i'm sure i can think of one to tell you of"

"Awesome" Replied the little dwarf running down the corridor "See you at breakfast Nim"

chuckling to himself Nimtolien made his way into the dining hall and helping himself to some bread and cheese sat on a table by himself. Within a few minutes Boliden and a group of his friends had sat themselves at the table around Nimtolien patiently waiting for him to finish his breakfast. As he finished his last mouthful the group of young riders leaned forward a couple of inches. Smiling to himself Nimtolien sat back on his chair "So, what story do you guys want to hear this morning" as one the riders started asking different demands about different battles and different races. Nimtolien raised a hand and they instantly quietened. "Boliden what would you like a story about?"

"Do you have any stories about dwarves?" The little dwarf asked. All the other riders groaned but their interest did not wane. Nimtolien nodded "Okay" he said and sat back on his chair "A good thousand or so years before any of you were born, in a time where dragons still flew over the Beor mountains a young elf was out gathering roots in the outskirts of Del Weldenvarden...


	2. Chapter 2

**(This may take a while to get going and to those who that annoys I'm sorry but to be honest it took me awhile to think of where to take this. I promise the next chapters will be more interesting :D) Disclaimer: I don't own any characters made my Christopher P or any of the locations or anything just Nimtolien **

* * *

Nimtolien was sat plucking roots for his mother to make a stew out of when the news came. His mother ran out of their house and plucked him up in her arms carrying him back inside "Quick Nim! We must pack" Nim looked around startled. The house had been stripped clean; his mum had packed all their possessions into saddlebags "Mum what's going on?" He asked curiously watching his mum run around the room in an almost panicked state. "We're leaving the forest" was the reply. In a dazed state Nimtolien helped his mum pack and then they left. He didn't remember much of the travel, just brief images of trees and a long winding river. He'd never left the forest before. Eventually the boat they were on stopped at a small harbour. "Come now Nim" Ushered his mum, taking her hand he let her lead him across the harbour into a small town. What Nim realised first was that it wasn't an elven village, there was only one tree in the centre of the village and the houses lacked the grace of elven houses. "Welcome to your new home Nim" murmured his mother somewhere behind him.

Nimtolien stopped for a second and looked at the eager eyed young riders around him "I'm going to skip a few years now as their mostly uninteresting, all you need to know was that it took time for the young elf to settle into his new home"

Nim sat on the branch of the tree playing his lute. He spent many an evening sat there; there was nowhere else he would rather be. His mum had explained the move to him the day after they'd arrived. The riders had fallen. One of their own had betrayed them. She'd feared that the forsworn for that was what these betraying riders had called themselves, would attack the elven forest and so had taken Nimtolien to a dwarven town where he could be safe. The dwarfs had been kind and welcoming yet young Nim missed the trees and the birds of the forest. Instead of being able to do whatever he wished his mum had set him up sword fighting lessons and lessons in the dwarven tongue. She said it would all be important for him in the future. He didn't mind too much. The sword fighting was fun, he almost always beat the young dwarves and he'd mastered the dwarven language pretty quickly. His mum had become the local healer and in the past couple of weeks a sickness had swept through the dwarven population so she'd been pretty busy.

Nim stopped as the morning lesson bell rang "Okay guys off you go then"

"Aww will you continue the story later Nim? Please" The young riders asked. Chuckling to himself Nimtolien nodded "Yes of course I will, now run along or you'll be late for your lessons" The young riders turned and ran out of the hall as he shook his head laughing at their eagerness .

Standing he turned towards a door at the opposite end of the hall from which the riders had exited and likewise left the hall behind him. As he stepped outside he sighed and took a deep breath of fresh air. He'd not told the kids the entire truth of the story. The truth behind the fall of the riders was something they best learn about at their own pace. In real life he and his mum had had to travel for two weeks before they'd got to the Beor Mountains and found sanctuary. The village he'd described to the young riders had been one of the many dwarven villages that they'd past which had been burnt to the ground by the Foresworn and their dragons. Hundreds of dwarves had died at the hands of the foresworn and the elves had just retreated into their forest. Walking through the gardens Nimtolien watched as riders and their dragons flew overhead heading out on various missions or just going hunting. That was one thing he'd been glad to see. The return of the riders he sighed and wished his mum had lived to see this. Sitting down on a bench his mind went back to that fateful day.

They'd just left the mountain for a day or two; they wanted to see what was going on outside the mountain, if the spells protecting Du Weldenvarden would let them enter. They'd been waylaid by a Shade trying the same thing. His mum had tried to protect him and told him to run. He'd turned and ran as fast as he could but he couldn't block out the cruel laughter and his mothers cries as the Shade mercilessly killed her. Nimtolien had run all the way back to the mountains. That was when he'd taken up sword fighting in earnest, practicing every day.

Sighing he stood again and headed inside. There was a cold breeze blowing in from the north and he didn't want to get Ill. As he walked in a rider ran past him headed for the main meeting room. "woh there rider, where are you headed in such a rush?" Nim questioned the man stopping him in his tracks. The man turned a little out of breath "Eragon has called a meeting of all the riders, apparently something has happened on the mainland"


	3. Chapter 3

Nimtolien walked down the halls that the rider had run down. He was an old elf now and while the younger members of his species could run fast for a long time he preferred not to run unless he had too. Walking into the meeting room of the riders Nimtolien took a seat in the large multi tiered circle and watched as Eragon and his dragon Sapphire entered the room. Sapphire had grown alot on the past decades. She now rivalled the size of her old master and teacher Glaedr and was perhaps a little bigger. Eragon stopped in the middle of the room and looked around at the assembled riders. If not counting the riders in training there were twenty riders on the island at the moment while thirty two were in Alagaësia. It had been quite a busy first decade getting the island ready and then learning on the go as Eragon and the elves he'd brought with him figured out the best ways to teach the new riders. But on the whole it had been successful. "Thank you for coming" Eragon started "There's been a development in Alagaësia" He sighed and Nimtolien detected weariness in his voice "We've had reports that King Orin is shortly to be announcing war upon Nasuada" At this there were shouts of exclamation from the Riders. For his part Nimtolien kept his silence, he knew that Orin had come away from Nasuada's coronation unhappy. It had only been time before his ambitions and wounded pride caused him to do something ridiculous.

Eragon waited for a couple of minutes then patted Sapphires side and she let loose an irritated growl that shut up the noisy riders "I understand your concerns; I know there are one of two amongst us that came from Surda. However Orin requested a meeting with me a week ago and asked that the riders would leave this matter alone." Holding up a hand to stop the once again rising noise he continued "I informed him that the riders would protect the interests of Alagaësia no matter it was who was threatening those interests. However we will not be engaging in direct confrontation. The riders will be taking out supply lines and hindering the communications of the Surdan army. I do not want Riders causing excessive casualties in either side. I will be giving further briefings when we get to Alagaësia but for now go, load up your saddlebags ready your dragons for tomorrow we fly" Nimtolien sat as the riders filed out discussing what Eragon had told them and waited for Eragon to come and sit next to him. "Hello Nim" Said the Shade Slayer sitting down. Nimtolien chuckled "Hello Young Rider"

"Why do you call all of the riders here that?" Eragon asked

"Because it is what you are" He smiled "You are young and you are Riders"

Eragon nodded "That's true I suppose, so I'm interested, what's your take on all of this" Nimtolien sighed "The kings of Surda have always been a proud people; I remember when it first really formed during Galbatorix's early reign. The kings refused the small amount of help the dwarves offered and during the first few decades they restricted heavily the people that they let into Surda from Alagaësia due to silly made up reasons. It did not surprise me that King Orin would want more then he was given. Yet I think you made the wrong decision about involving the riders. They should be used to crush the Surdan advance as soon as it becomes apparent it is committed. Crush the Surdan army and teach King Orin the consequences of pride." Eragon frowned and stood up

"Perhaps your right, I'll consider what you've said but now I must leave and make ready, I'll see you soon"

"If I may, may I request to come with you when you leave? Its been awhile since I have seen much of Alagaësia" Asked Nimtolien, Eragon shrugged

"Sure , I see no problem with that"

As Nimtolien walked out of the meeting room one of the riders who had been inside detached himself from the wall he'd been leaning on and walked over to him. "Elder sir?" Nimtolien looked around at the rider "Yes young fellow? What can I do for you?" The rider hesitated for a second

"Sir do you have any tales of Surda? Many of my fellow riders have never journeyed there" Nimtolien sighed "I am sorry but I have not been to Surda in many a decade it will most likely have changed beyond my recognition since I was last there" he replied "I am just as curious as you are, perhaps you should ask the riders who were born there, they may be able to provide you with some information"


End file.
